Radioantenna



C/LarZaSA fforfin fiulilllll i C. A. HORTON RADIO ANTENNA Filed Aug. 7, 1924 iffy Dec. 25, 1928.

Patented Dec. 25,1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. HORTON, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOB TO HOPE WEBBING OOKPA NY, F PAWTUOKET, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

BADIOANTENN A.

Application fled August 1, mac. Serial No. 730,651.

This invention has for its objec the construction of a radio antenna whic may be readily varied as to length of conductor exposed to the radio waves and wherein the conductor itself shall consist of a ribbon of metallic strands, the ribbon being arran ed "'11 a manner hereinafter more fully specihed.

It may be further stated that the antenna rimarily designed for indoor use.

11 order to more fully appreciate the nature of the invention, it may be stated that with the radio instruments set in a given manner with a given len th of antenna, the quality and volume of t e received signals or sounds can be very materially improved by adjusting the length of the antenna within certain limits readily determined b the o erator from the sounds iven fort by he receiving instrument. hat is to say, after the radio receiving instrument has been set at its best receivin condition, the quality of sounds given forth by the said instrument can be improved by varying the length of the antenna, the best length being determined by trial.

My improved antenna is so constructed as to be capable of ready adjustment as to length and preferably takes the form of a continuous ribbon mounted on a sprin roller in such manner that a plurality 0 bands depend from the roller, the bands bein maintained in parallel relation thereon an being parts of a continuous ribbon. The appearance of the improved antenna is such that it can be supported in front of a W111- dow without detractin from the ap earance of a nicely furnishe room. In act, the antenna by reason of being made from vertically disposed bands tends to add to the appearance of the room, inasmuch as the antenna when drawn out resembles an ornamental screen.

For a fuller explanation of the invention reference is made to the accompanying drawin forming part of this specification.

%n the drawing, Fig. 1 1s a perspective of a ortion of a room showin 11%? improve antenna hung in front 0 a rench window;

Fig. 2 shows the manner of mounting conductor ribbon on the roller and ban of the same;

Fig. 3 is a cross-section on an enlarged scale through the improved ribbon or tape is l0 the bar constituting the conducting member of the antenna;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan View of the ribbon shown inFig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of a modified form of ribbon; and

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view illustratlnghow the ribbon is disposed between the ro ler and hand bar.

Reference numeral 1 indicates "generally the metallic ribbon constituting the conducting member of the antenna. As indicated in Fig. 6, the ribbon or tape is a-continuous member reversely arranged in a series of parallel bands, one end of the ribbon adapted for connection with a radio receiving instrument 2.

For convenience of description the bands are indicated by numeral 3 and the connecting portions at the alternate ends by 4, whic connecting portions may or ma not be an integral continuation of the ri bon.

A s ring roller 5 of conventional type is provi ed with a plurality of s aced annular grooves 6, one groove for each band 3, the upper ends of the bands and connecting portions 4 therebetween being secured to the'roller in such manner'that the bands will roll up in the grooves. The lower ends of the bands 3 may be afiixed between a pair of slats 7 in any suitable manner,-said slats constituting a hand bar for raising and lowering the curtain-like antenna, as will be readil understood.

In ig. 1, the antenna is shown as supported by its roller in front of a French window, and as far as ap earances are concerned might well be ta en for an ornamental screen. [It will be noted that the bands are spaced some little distance apart, thus enhancing the pleasing appearance of the antenna and disguising its real purpose.

The length of the continuous ribbon constituting the antenna will be such as is found most desirable in practice, say, two hundred feet. It will be apparent that when the antenna is drawn out only partially, the wave receiving length of the same will be less than if it were drawn out its full length-this for the reason that when the antenna is partially rolled up the radio waves will pass from the depending bands through the coil of ribbon rolled upon the roller, or, in other words, on the radii of the coils and thence through the connecting conductors 4 and to the radio receiving instrument.

As illustrated in Figs. 3 to 5 the conduct-- ing ribbon preferably consists of metallic strands 10 of flat thin metal, the weft threads being indicated-by numeral 11 and being of fibre. In order to reinforce the edges of the tape there may be provided one or more fibre warp ends 12, one such warp end being shown at the edge of the form illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, and two such ends being shown in the form illustrated in Fig. 5. It is also within the scope of the invention to provide the conductor with one or more warp ends between the metal strands as indicated by numeral 13 in Fig. 5 to separate the respective metal strands one from the other, thus giving. a plurality of independent conductors in the same ribbon.

As already indicated the conductor is woven. It can, therefore, readily be made in any desired width; the strands are uniformly spaced apart; different color combinations of threads and metallic strands can be readily obtained; a multiplicity of individually weak metal strands are combined to make a collectively strong article; a maximum amount of flat metal surface is ob tained from a given amount of metal; and breakage of a strand doesnot materially interfere with the radio conductivity of the ribbon because so long as the broken strands are not pulled apart the protective features of the woven article are such that close contact of the broken ends will serve to maintain the ribbons efficiency as an aerial. Furthermore, it will be readily apparent that the woven metallic ribbon will be very convenient to handle, it being wound in rolls like conventional ribbon as it comes from the looms. By reason of the conductor being fiat and flexible it lends itself admirably to convenience in experimentation, to placing-on picture molding in a room, and so forth. Other advantages and uses of the fiat woven metallic conductor will band having its opposite ends electrically connected alternately to the adjacent ends of the bands at opposite sides thereof, the rotation of the roller winding each band upon itself to shorten the effective length of the antenna as a whole.

2. In combination with a rotatable support, an antenna comprising an insulated uncovered flexible conducting ribbon looped as a grid over said support and secured to said support at its points of contact therewith, the rotation of said support winding each leg of said loops upon-itself to chan e the effective length of said ribbon as a who e.

3. A radio'antenna woven as an uncovered ribbon comprising warp and weft threadsof insulating material having continuous electrical conducting ribbons interlaced with the weft threads and separated from each other by the insulating warp threads.

4. An antenna conductor woven as an uncovered ribbon having weft and selvage threads of insulating material and having intermediate warp threads thereof formed of continuous ribbons of conducting material and spaced apart and insulated from each other along said weft threads.

5. In combination with a rotatable support, an antenna comprising an uncovered continuous conducting ribbon looped as a grid over said support and secured to said support at its points of contact therewith, a rod of insulating material fixed to the free end of said grid to hold the loops in spaced relation to each other, the rotation of said support winding each leg of the grid upon itself to change the effective electrical length of the antenna as a whole.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

CHARLES A. HORTON. 

